We All Can Play a Part in Supporting Strong and Thriving Families
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Kotzebue, Alaska – [March 29, 2019]
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to recognize that we each can play an important role in promoting the social and emotional well-being of children and families in communities. This month and throughout the year, Maniilaq Children’s Advocacy Center encourages all individuals and organizations to play a role in making the Northwest Arctic region a better place for children and families. By ensuring that parents have the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to care for their children, we can help prevent child abuse and neglect by creating strong and thriving children, youth, and families in our communities. Research shows that protective factors are present in healthy families. Promoting these factors is among the most effective ways to reduce the risk of child abuse and neglect. These factors include:
Nurturing and attachment
Knowledge of parenting and of child and youth development
Parental resilience
Social connections
Concrete supports for parents
Social and emotional competence of children
“April is a time to celebrate the important role that communities play in protecting children and strengthening families,” said Kimberly Bebout, Maniilaq Children’s Advocacy Center Program Manager. “Everyone’s participation is critical. Focusing on ways to connect with families is the best thing our community can do to strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect.” Friday, April 5th, is Go Blue Day. We encourage everyone in our region to wear something blue to raise awareness of Child Abuse Prevention Month.
In support of these efforts, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Children’s Bureau, Office on Child Abuse and Neglect, its Child Welfare Information Gateway, the FRIENDS National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention and over 30 national prevention partners have created 2019 Prevention Resource Guide: Strong and Thriving
Families. The resource guide, designed for service providers who work throughout the community to support families, is available online at https://childwelfare.com/topics/preventing/preventionmonth/resources/resource-guide/.
For more information about child abuse prevention programs and activities during the month of April and throughout the year, contact Kimberly Bebout at (907) 442-7887 or kimberly.bebout@maniilaq.org